


The Case Of The Missing Pips

by CaptainCoffee



Category: Star Trek Voyager
Genre: Everyone’s pips go missing, Gen, Harry Kim deserves a promotion, Just some Voyager silliness, Who is the culprit?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-20
Updated: 2020-09-20
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:41:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26560846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaptainCoffee/pseuds/CaptainCoffee
Summary: Garrett Wang once said that if he could write any Voyager episode, it would be Harry Kim sleepwalking and stealing everyone’s pips...
Comments: 11
Kudos: 24





	The Case Of The Missing Pips

“All right, I give up, where is it?” B’Elanna Torres called angrily.

“Where is what?” was the mumbled answer she received from a still half asleep Tom Paris.

“Come on Tom, I don’t have time to play games. I’m due in engineering in 5 minutes and I need my rank badge. Now where did you hide it?” She insisted, shaking him awake.

“I didn’t hide it anywhere B’Elanna! I saw you put it on the dresser last night, right next to my pips.”

“Well, it’s not there now.”

Tom sighed and walked over to the dresser, intending to prove B’Elanna wrong, but instead finding an unpleasant surprise of his own.

“Huh. Neither are my pips...”

* * *

“Come in”, Captain Janeway answered her door buzzer with some frustration.

Chakotay stepped inside.

“Good morning, Kathryn. I thought I’d walk you to the bridge, if you like.”

“Oh, I would, but I’m afraid the Captain is going to be a little late this morning. I can’t seem to find my pips anywhere!”

“That’s strange, I couldn’t seem to find  my rank badge this morning. I was hoping you wouldn’t notice”, Chakotay grinned sheepishly.

Janeway laughed.

“It’s not like you to misplace things, Chakotay. Or me either, for that matter. Well, I guess if you can go without, so can I.”

She linked her arm in Chakotay’s, and they headed to the bridge.

“I just wonder where they could be...” Captain Janeway thought aloud. 

* * *

If it were possible for a Vulcan to be annoyed, Tuvok would certainly have been so at the moment. 

He was absolutely certain he had placed his pips on his bedside table the evening before, and now they were nowhere to be found.

He suspected that someone was playing a practical joke of some kind.

Humans did have a peculiar sense of humor.

But since he could not take the time to search for the culprit, there was nothing to be done except report to the bridge, pips or not.

* * *

It didn’t take long for the news to spread through the entire ship. 

The pips and badges of everyone, from the senior officers to the crewmen stationed all the way down on deck 15, had mysteriously vanished.

Since there were no other more pressing matters, the order of the day became to find them as soon as possible.

Every crew member on duty searched the ship high and low, stem to stern- but had no luck.

After hours of searching, Seven of Nine suddenly discovered something unusual... 

* * *

“Seven of Nine to the Captain.”

“Yes Seven, did you find something?”

“Affirmative. Please report to Transporter room two.”

“On my way”, Janeway responded, motioning to Chakotay to follow her.

“Let’s get to the bottom of this...”

* * *

“It appears, Captain, that approximately six hours ago someone activated the transporter system. I am unable to determine who the individual was, but the transporter beam was set to specifically target the metal alloys contained in the crew’s rank pips and badges.”

“But where exactly were they transported  to? ” Captain Janeway asked impatiently.

Seven tapped a few more buttons on the console, then, subtly raising her ocular implant by way of surprise, announced:

“Ensign Kim’s quarters.”

* * *

“Did you put him up to this?” B’Elanna asked Tom with a suspicious glance as the entire senior staff, along with the Doctor, trooped down to Harry’s quarters.

“I swear, this time, I’m innocent!”

“All right you two, let’s not start pointing fingers. I’m sure Harry will have a reasonable explanation”, the Captain interrupted before they could start a fight.

She pressed Harry’s door buzzer, but received no response.

“Harry?”

Still no answer.

“Tuvok, maybe you should-“

“Understood, Captain. Security override, authorization code Tuvok-Pi-Alpha.”

* * *

The door whooshed open to reveal a very odd sight indeed:

Ensign Harry Kim, seated at his desk, uniform decorated haphazardly with literally hundreds of tiny, gold pips.

The desk was littered with many more, which he was slowly and deliberately adding to his already crowded ensemble.

Even more puzzling was the fact the he appeared to be fast asleep.

The Doctor held up a hand, warning the others to be quiet as he rapidly scanned Harry with his tricorder. 

An amused smile crept onto the Doctor’s face as he did so, after which he suddenly turned and ushered the rest of the group back out into the corridor.

“Doctor, what was the meaning of that?” Demanded a rather indignant Captain Janeway.

“There is no need for concern, Captain”, the Doctor responded calmly.  
“It seems Ensign Kim was merely... sleepwalking.”

 _ “Sleepwalking? _ You mean to tell me he accomplished all of this while fast asleep?”

“Apparently so. Humans  have been known to do some rather extraordinary things while sleepwalking.”

“But  why would Harry want to steal everyone’s pips?” B’Elanna spoke everyone’s unuttered question.

“Well, people often express some deep seated fantasy while sleepwalking. Perhaps Mister Kim’s theft is indicative of his desire for a promotion. Given how long he’s remained an Ensign, I find it understandable-“

He broke off upon seeing Captain Janeway’s warning glare.

“Ah- but, of course it’s perfectly reasonable- I-I mean it’s- a promotion isn’t something given lightly... I- hmmm”, the Doctor stammered, then relapsed into silence.

“Well, so much for the big mystery”, Tom yawned, breaking the tension.  
“I think I’ll go back to bed.”

“Not so fast, Mr Paris. Need I remind you that you have a shift in sickbay this evening? 

“Aw, come on Doc...” 

The rest of the group (excluding Tuvok of course) chuckled as the Doctor departed, pursuing a grumbling Tom down the corridor.

“I don’t think we need embarrass Mr Kim by mentioning this. B’Elanna, can you take care of it?” Captain Janeway asked.

B’Elanna shrugged.

“Sure. If I just reverse the polarity of the transporter field, everything should go back to where it belongs.”

“Do it.”

B’Elanna marched off in the direction of the transporter room, and Tuvok started back toward the bridge.

Janeway and Chakotay followed at a more leisurely pace.

“Well, I’m certainly glad that’s solved”, Chakotay grinned.

“So am I”, Captain Janeway smiled back. “But you know, the Doctor may have had a point. Maybe it  _ is _ time Harry got a new pip of his own...”


End file.
